128GB iPad: From myth to reality in 24 hours

Apple has announced it's expanding its existing line of fourth-generation iPads.

Following rumors from Monday that Apple may begin offering iOS devices in 128GB capacities, the company announced on Tuesday that it is indeed launching a 128GB iPad starting next week. The new model joins the existing fourth-generation line-up of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models and comes in black and white. It will be available with or without 4G LTE wireless networking.

Apple SVP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller said the reason for the capacity bump was to aid users who are increasingly using an iPad to replace an existing desktop or laptop PC. "With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators, and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs," he said in a statement.

Apple also cited developers of several high-end apps for iPad, including Autodesk, who said that the increased capacity is necessary for those users that continually push the data storage limits of existing iPads.

"Our AutoCAD WS app for iOS was designed to give customers seamless access to their designs anywhere, anytime," Amy Bunszel, vice president of AutoCAD products for Autodesk, said in a statement. "These files are often large and highly detailed, so having [extra capacity] is a real advantage for iPad users to view, edit and share their AutoCAD data."

As predicted, the new 128GB iPad costs $799 for a Wi-Fi model, and $929 for a Wi-Fi + Cellular model. Both versions are expected to be available online and in stores on Tuesday, February 5.

I think that for 'pro' use, the iPad (iOS actually) needs a built-in LAN file browser far more than extra internal storage. I'm still waiting for Apple to provide me with a way to quickly open/save documents stored in my desktop Macs' hard drive from the iPad, without having to sit in front of my Mac and use iTunes every time I want to access something on the iPad.

SInce MacBook air is not a tablet, and tablet is not a MacBook air, I don't necessarily see them as alternatives. Sure, MacBook is more powerful and all that, but it's also bigger and heavier ans has poorer battery-life. And the way you use the two devices is totally different.

Annnnd one month and three days into owning it, and I no longer own the top of the line ipad. Haha I guess thems the breaks, I'm actually psyched to finally see Apple move up into a higher storage tier for their mobile devices.

Weird comment by AutoCAD, given my experience with CAD on the desktop it is memory not storage that limits the performance on big files. I've been poking away at all sorts of solutions for drawing review and markup on tablets and the brick wall I keep running into is memory.

I also have a feeling the better secrecy around this will pay off on Wall Street. Funny feeling that a few years from now we might look back and realize how much all these product leaks so far in advance were killing Apples stock.

In all seriousness (perhaps giving the troll too much credit, but whatev) $1000 for most families is overkill, no doubt. But in a professional setting, it's a tool and $1000 for a tool is nothing unusual. All those office chairs in cubicleville? Hundreds of dollars each. A $1k ipad is not a terrible decision, certainly corporations make worse choices everyday. And hey, Apple is selling them.

I think that for 'pro' use, the iPad (iOS actually) needs a built-in LAN file browser far more than extra internal storage. I'm still waiting for Apple to provide me with a way to quickly open/save documents stored in my desktop Macs' hard drive from the iPad, without having to sit in front of my Mac and use iTunes every time I want to access something on the iPad.

You're assuming they're still maintaining the old release schedule. I don't know if they are, since the mini was released right brefore the holidays. It's possible there won't be an iPad announcement in March (probable, given this?).

But in a professional setting, it's a tool and $1000 for a tool is nothing unusual. All those office chairs in cubicleville? Hundreds of dollars each. A $1k ipad is not a terrible decision, certainly corporations make worse choices everyday. And hey, Apple is selling them.

Autodesk?! Spit-take.

I think you're right that they're aiming at the professional market. I use an iPad for work, and the iPad-laptop ratio I see is now something like 9:1 - not just for my employer, but for the people we meet with. (For offsite meetings, of course; I have a desktop in my office). While my 32G iPad is completely acceptable for my needs (accessing documents and e-mail and a couple of DBs), and I think the needs of most people I work with, I don't think that many people or companies I encounter would hesitate to upgrade to 128 G if they thought it would be better in any meaningful way.

Is there actually any benefit of using AutoCAD on a tablet other than to quickly review drawings on site, or in a meeting? I used it briefly on my iPhone 4 for a little while, but it's just too unbearable for me to use without a mouse.

Is Apple the first major tablet manufacturer to get to 128 GB? That could help to explain their hastiness.

If the iPod touch gets 128 GB and doesn't somehow downgrade their DAC, I'm probably sold. I love this ol' iPod classic, but its software isn't exactly the most flexible. While 32 GB is fine for me on the iPad (thousands of PDFs and then some), the more of my specific music I can carry around in my pocket, the better.

Is there actually any benefit of using AutoCAD on a tablet other than to quickly review drawings on site, or in a meeting? I used it briefly on my iPhone 4 for a little while, but it's just too unbearable for me to use without a mouse.

10 hour battery, light weight, and the ability to touch the model probably are the only benefits.

In the 1940's we as a nation experienced Hyper Deflation.The prices of everything began to fall...

What happened was a testimony to human behavior patterns. Recognizing that a little patience can equate to big savings, people began to delay purchases waiting for the price to fall just a little more.

Over the last 5 years apple has trained us to wait exactly 1 - 2 years for a new product which is going to be magical. When that happens you are guaranteed to have a state of the art product for at least one year, and a so so product for the next year while your anticipation wells up for the new product.

I bought an iPad Retina last March... It has not even been one year and now my iPad seems a little old. This last year apple has been training me to wait just a couple more months for the new connector or higher capacity. If they revert their iPhone cycle to June, it will be the whole thing over again. I'll have last years model less than a year after I bought it.

I think apple is MESSING with some deep behavioral patterns that could cause people to hold off on purchases and slow down the growth of new adoption. If they find that People stop buying their products I would pass some of the blame onto this.

Is there actually any benefit of using AutoCAD on a tablet other than to quickly review drawings on site, or in a meeting? I used it briefly on my iPhone 4 for a little while, but it's just too unbearable for me to use without a mouse.

I think document review is the primary benefit of AutoCAD on a tablet. Notice that it's AutoCAD WS, not AutoCAD per se that exists in mobile versions (web, iOS, Android). While you can do some editing using it, it's really designed to be an adjunct viewer for documents created using full-blown AutoCAD.

Now, if only they would release something similar for Inventor .ipt and .iam files, I'd be a happy camper.

I think that for 'pro' use, the iPad (iOS actually) needs a built-in LAN file browser far more than extra internal storage. I'm still waiting for Apple to provide me with a way to quickly open/save documents stored in my desktop Macs' hard drive from the iPad, without having to sit in front of my Mac and use iTunes every time I want to access something on the iPad.

If I don't want to copy to the cloud, I personally find FileBrowser works well.

And weight. And size. And battery-life. And UI (try using a laptop while standing up). And yes, MBA also costs more and lacks LTE.If you use-scenario calls for a tablet, then MacBook air is not an alternative. And vice versa of course.

Yeah I have both, and never felt like I could arbitrarily substitute one for the other. They're both better at different things.

I can get close if I fall behind on my videos. I usually rip DVDs (or other sources) to the iPad so I can watch them anywhere or stream them to the big TV. 128G is a lot, though. We are seeing businesses starting to use these things- the employer of friend of mine is testing them- so there might be a use case. Large data bases of product for customer info. Big demo apps. HD presentation videos. It's not that unimaginable. It's clearly not a consumer model.